Daintiness

Latest posts by Daintiness

Hi Izzy, Thank you very much! This plant should do well in his garden, hopefully making it through the winter - SE England; close to town centre; sheltered, walled garden - but would need to be taken indoors to make it through the winter in mine. Although I am only a few miles down the road from him my position is completely different. I will try to propagate though as I have a sunny south facing wall I think it would like. Thanks again

It has stopped raining at last in Essex but it looks as if it might start again at any moment. The pond is full from all the rain and the hose attached to the water butt for extra oomph to hopefully wash the duck weed over the edge!

.However, I have found a crack at the bottom of one of my other water butts...it would be the bottom wouldn't it! I'll have to tackle that when everything has dried out and that won't be today.

I don't think they enjoy being moved - in my RHS book it says pot on only if absolutely necessary!

I have one planted in my garden (they like a warm and sheltered site) that I was given. It took 3 years before it flowered and then it only had 1 flower stem. This year it had 3 but it has taken its time!

I gave a piece to a friend (as my clump is quite big) and 2 years later hers hasn't flowered yet but luckily mine has kept flowering.

Although many of those plants are not to your taste, they are some lovely specimens. Why don't you put them on freegle a recycling web site and they will have new homes and you won't have to dump them - worth a try and you will get some help digging them up too!

I know the crab apple 'Golden Hornet' grows well in Co. Down and is a beautiful plant which attracts wildlife - there are other coloured crab apple varieties available too.

Your lilacs will be fine as has been mentioned it looks as though the leaf damage was caused either because there had been a shower followed by strong sunshine or you watered the leaves when the sun was strong and that has burnt holes in the leaves (the brown patches)

Are you coastal? Is it a windy site? Which direction does the front face?

I like the changes the seasons bring so would recommend shrubs that offer variety throughout the year - eg. Daphne, Callicarpa, Hibiscus, Nandina all well behaved needing little attention. I would underplant with narcissus Tete a tete or Jetfire for spring colour and the some nerines for autumn.

Resolis, Erigeron karvinskianus has planted itself between my path and house wall. Easy to contain, flowers all summer and beyond. I cut it back to base in early spring and it starts again. Carol Klein has it between the steps in her garden.

There is no honeysuckle there! If I were you I would get the spade out and dig up your 'invader' (- probably provided by a bird), before winter. Now is a good time to get another plant established while the soil is still warm and damp.It will also be easier to remove now than in the new year!

You could either purchase another honeysuckle of maybe something that will flower over the winter for you....a clematis 'Freckles' or 'Jingle Bells' if you would like a climber. Not knowing the site ans soil I won't suggest anymore but I do think it is time to move on...